Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-09-07
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Wa y Ri DRY.
It was some little time after The battle
Of Baton Rouge. We had concentrated
our forces nron the Government
grounds and thrown up a line of earth
works for terSprotection. We were
in continual expectation Of being at
tackled by the enemy lin fact our cav
airy pickets were generally skirmishing.
Our infantry pickets were stationed
about mile from the river, forming :
circle around the town, and had orders
to retire if attacked, so that the gum
boats could shell the enemy.
! On the day in which the events mar.
rated happened.,a squad of Co. II, 9Th
Mich, was posted on the last street
parallel with the river, in front of Mag.
nolia Cemetery, and on the street lead
ing back from the river on the right of
the penitentiary. Our single pickets or
videts were well dvanoed. while tho
relief or reserve remained some dis
lance in the rear, near some rough,
new houses on the outskirts Of town.
The whole town had been deserted
by its inhabitants during and just after
the battle, leaving their houses just as
they had been living in them, already
furnished. Going on picket was al.
ways our opportunity of supplying our
selves with meat. and for that reason
we were always ready to go. We had
gone out early in the morning, and
while two were on post the remaining
four were industriously foraging. BY
II or o'clock we had beef and good,
nice pig, just large enough to fill an
oven.
Up to this time we had not thought
of entering any of the houses, but the
necessity of roasting our hard earnings
led US to look around. Sure enough,
in the first house of three snug little
rooms, wefound everything we wanted.
A clean little kitchen, well fitted up.
with stove ware hanging conveniently
On the wall, and in safe close. by, salt,
pepper, and any other condiments
likely to be called for, seemed just the
place to do our work. " 'e"@>
Corporal Joe Shaw and myself were
the cooks. and we went about it in a
business-like manner. We soon had
ire started and the pig well under way
cooking, when we were startled by q
lively shooting on our left, and directly
the gunboats commenced throwing
shells over our heads. Joe and con-
suited as to our best course, conclud-
ing that it was best to get out of the
house. as we were in direct line Of
shell throwing. We started to take OUT
pig, but it was so hot, and not done by
an hour, that we left it, hoping to
return. We put one more stick Of
wood in the fire, grabbed our guns and
started, but not second to soon, for
crash came large. shell through the
house and the air was full of splinters.
When we got out into the street our
squad was some distance in the rear, and
walking briskly to avoid the shells, which
were now falling all around US, and
blowing great burrows in the ground.
AS soon as we got back to the peniten.
tiary we halted for a cessation of gun
boat firing, as we had seen nothing as
yet to cause US to fire a shot. 1t was
more than two hours before we were
permitted to go back, and all this time
we were uneasy as poor soldiers, could
be when there wasa roast pig in pros
pect. We made very quick step on
our return, discussing on the way the
probability of some one making raid
on our kitchen.
' The pickets placed themselves while
Joe and I started to. find our pig. We
could see the large hole made by the
shell on the front of the house where IL
came out, but as we opened the door
and went in we saw the terrible effect OF
splinters. The rooms were full Of
them, sticking in the wall and floor.
some of them being driven with. such
force that they penetrated. the wall
through and through, The stove was
barely warm, but our pig was roasted
in splendid style-a.. rich brown, and
as tender as could be asked for. It
was quite dark before we finished up,
but we saved our pig. WILDER Fl.
WEBER, Lampasas, Tex.
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